At 325 F, unstuffed: up to 12 lb takes 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours. A 20 lb bird takes 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes. The chart aims, the thermometer decides: 165 F.
The USDA roasting chart times the calculator uses, for a thawed, unstuffed turkey.
| Weight | Time at 325 F |
|---|---|
| Up to 12 lb | 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours |
| 13 to 14 lb | 3 hours to 3 hours 45 minutes |
| 15 to 18 lb | 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes |
| 19 to 20 lb | 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes |
| 21 to 24 lb | 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours |
When in doubt, use a meat thermometer: 165 F in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost thigh, and the innermost wing. Color is not a reliable signal.
For a 5 PM dinner on Thursday, November 26, 2026:
| Weight | Roast time | In the oven by |
|---|---|---|
| 12 lb | 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours | 1:47 PM |
| 16 lb | 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes | 12:40 PM |
| 20 lb | 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes | 12:17 PM |
| 24 lb | 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours | 11:55 AM |
Oven times use the middle of each band, plus 20 minutes to rest. For quality, let the turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to set. The turkey will carve more easily.
This chart is for unstuffed birds. For optimum safety, stuffing a turkey is not recommended. For more even cooking, it is recommended you cook your stuffing outside the bird in a casserole. The stuffing must reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 F. Cooking from frozen is a different chart: it takes at least 50 percent longer. See cooking a turkey from frozen.
Still frozen? Thaw it first: Seal the bird in a leak-proof plastic bag. Submerge it in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook it right after it thaws.
USDA's third safe way is the microwave: follow your oven manual for size and timing, and cook the turkey right after it thaws. Never thaw a turkey on the counter. The outside warms up hours before the inside thaws. Bacteria grow in that warm layer.
Tell the calculator your weight and dinner time. It stamps the thaw, the oven time, and the rest. Or ask in your own words: "16 lb turkey, dinner Thursday at 5."